Welcome Message

The structure of this web site is to honor those individuals that have devoted their lives to serving Arizona's youth with leadership, excellence, and success.  The men and women inducted into the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame are the epitome of their profession and are being honored by their peers.  As of this writing 220 great coaches/educators have been inducted into this place of honor.  The Hall of Fame inductions began in 1984 with 32 charter members.  Usually a group of 5 new worthy coaches are added annually after a preceding member and/or the Executive Board induction committee nominates and then selects the candidates on the basis of their tenure, merit, and other exemplary characteristics.  We hope you enjoy moving through this history of excellence in Arizona High School Athletics.  You are navigating through a membership of coaches that have all been a coach for 20 years in the same sport, more than one sport, had unparalleled success, and/or have served their respective coaches' associations in various volunteer capacities.  Enjoy this trip down memory lane. There is a handsome public display of all 220 coaches in the Gila River Arena in Glendale just inside Gate 7. 

Hall of Fame

Coach Steve Coutchie was a charter member of the Arizona High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1984.  Coach Coutchie was the head football coach at Mesa High School from 1928 to 1945.  Coach Coutchie's Jackrabbits were the State Champions in football twice and his basketball teams also won three...Read more

Earl Clupper was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame in 1984.  Coach Clupper coached for 34 years with 22 of those being at South Mountain High School.  Coach Clupper had a 66% winning percentage over all those years, and his Rebels won the State Title in 1959 and were the...Read more

Coach Coppinger was a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1984.  Coach Coppinger let the Scottdale Coronado Dons through over 20 seasons of baseball in the 60's thru the 80's.  Coach Roy's teams won state titles in 1966, 69, and 1979.  His teams also had 3 runners-...Read more

Coach Forner is currently a member of the HOF Executive Board.  Bobbi Maldonado Forner attended Phoenix Union High School and Arizona State University.  Coach Forner taught and coached badminton at Sunnyslope High School for 35 years.  Her final won-loss record stands at 330 wins with only 77...Read more

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse (LaCrosse State University) in 1973, Osborn Shackelford began his teaching and coaching career at Maryvale High in Phoenix Arizona.  In 1979, Coach "Shack" became the third head coach for the Maryvale women's basketball program.  He...Read more

Thomas "Alva" Hawkins was a great coach from a great athletic school, Coolidge, AZ.  Coach Hawkins taught 10 years in Oklahoma before moving to Coolidge.  He stayed there 28 more years.  Coach Hawkins won back to back football titles in 1967 and 1968.  Coach also won the Boys Track Title in the...Read more

Ollie Mayfield was the head football coach for the Tucson High School Badgers over 40 years ago.  Ollie was a charter member of this Hall of Fame.  His 1970 and 1971 teams were the large school state champions. Ollie never had a losing season at Tucson and Sabino and his final football record...Read more

Coach Robinson garnered 3 state titles in Boys' Track at Mesa Mountain View in 1994, 2003, and 2004.  He coached his Toros to 6 other runners-up finishes with the second place trophies in 1997, 98, 99, 2002, 08, and 10.  Coach Robinson was selected by the National High School Athletic Coaches...Read more

Miner Webster knows how to finish.  He coached his girls' basketball teams to 9 state finals and won 8 of them.  Coach Webster began his career at Gilbert and won state titles in 1991, 92, 94, and 95.  He moved to the new district school Gilbert Highland and placed second in 1998.  Coach Webster...Read more

Gary Ernst coached Arizona High School Basketball for more than 35 years and won state titles in 3 different decades--and had a runner-up finish in a 4th decade.  You have to go all the way back to 1976 where Chandler's Wolves won Gary his first Title.  The eighties were the sparcest decade for...Read more

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